Green Bay Packers and 2020 NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers has tested positive for COVID-19. According to multiple reports, Rodgers is unvaccinated and will be required to miss at least 10 days. He is out for this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs and would be first eligible to return to the roster next Saturday, the day before their game against the Seattle Seahawks. Rodgers being out this week has massive fantasy football implications for Davante Adams, Aaron Jones, and the rest of the Packers.
Aaron Rodgers being out gives Jordan Love his first start
The 2020 first-round pick, who has been the subject of a lot of criticism, will get his first career start in place of Rodgers. For Jordan Love, he gets a matchup with a Kansas City defense that has been soft against opposing quarterbacks all year.
Love now becomes a high-risk streaming option for Week 9. The Chiefs have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to the quarterback position, giving up 23.9 points per game. This will be a huge step for Green Bay in analyzing their first-round pick and the future of their QB position.
What does this mean for Davante Adams, Aaron Jones, and the Packers’ offense?
With Love getting his first start in Rodgers’ place, it’s a fair expectation that the Packers will attempt to get the ball out quick and rely on the run game. Additionally, their defense will need to keep the Chiefs’ attack from going bonkers.
Davante Adams is still Davante Adams, and he will likely return this week. No matter who is under center, you don’t bench a player this talented. Adams is a receiver that they scheme the ball to. He should see plenty of targets, like usual.
Aaron Jones should also be started as normal, with the expectation of seeing an increased workload without Rodgers. Jones has seen over 15 carries in only four games this season but is also used in the passing game.
Even AJ Dillon should factor into the game plan. The 247-pound bruiser of a running back (who gave himself the nickname “The Sauce,” I guess) has seen double-digit carries in three of the last five games, showing that Green Bay has a commitment to the ground game. In an attempt to minimize the damage for Love without Rodgers, Dillon and Jones should see action early and often. Dillon is an interesting flex play.
Fantasy outlook for the Packers
If you’re going to be without your future first-ballot Hall of Fame QB, it could be a lot worse than going against this iteration of the Chiefs’ defense. They’re allowing the fourth-most yards of total offense in the NFL at 391.5 yards per game. That’s some serious Swiss Cheese defense.
I expect the Packers to script some easy pass attempts early to get Love in rhythm while featuring a heavy dose of the run game. It’s entirely possible that this offense doesn’t miss much of a beat against a Kansas City defense that just let the combination of Daniel Jones, John Ross, and Devontae Booker look good last week. I’m playing all of my Green Bay players, just like I normally would.